Connector.



T. D. SMITH.

CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13. 1911.

1 ,27 7,765 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

n rnp STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS DALTON SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO H. B. SHERMAN vMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OFMICHIGAN.

CONNECTOR.

Patented Sept. 3,1918.

Application filed June 13, 1917. Serial No. 174,548.

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConnectors; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification. p

The object of this invention is to provide a novel connector for unitingtwo electrical conductors, such as insulated copper wires or cables;said connector comprising two peculiar complcmental drawn coppermembers, each having a socket and a shank portion formed in a peculiarmanner; means for uniting the shanks, and an outer insulating casing.

The ends of the electrical conductors to be connected are soldered orotherwise properly secured in the sleeve portions of the oppositemembers of the connector and a perfect electrical contact is secured bythe fiat contact surfaces of the shanks of both members which are firmlyunited by bolts; and the joint may then be covered with an insulatingsleeve. the inside diameter of which should be approximately the same asthe outside diameter of the tubular portions of the members, thusforming a perfect protected and insulated joint.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. and set forth in the claims the essential features andcombination of parts for which protection is desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view .ofthe complete connector. the insulating casingthereof being shown in sect-ion.

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof disposed at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line 33 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a drawn shell for one of the members ofthe connector, prior to flat-ting of the shank portion thereof.

Fig. 5 is a view of such shell after flatting and before perforating theshank.

As shown in the drawings, the connector comprises two similar memberseach of which is made of drawn metal, and has a shank portions socketportion 1 and a shank portion 1 the ends of the electrical conductors,either wire or cable, indicated at C, are fastened, preferably bysolder,- within the sockets 1.

The shanks 1 of the opposite members are then lapped as in Fig. 1, andfastened together, preferably by screw bolts 2 and nuts 2*; said boltspassing through suitable perforations in the shanks 1*. After they areso united a casing or sleeve 3 is slipped endwise over the connector tocover andprotect thesame and insulate it.

The casing-3 should be sli oped upon one of the cable ends before or ater the connector member is unitedtherewith, and before the shanks ofthe connector members are bolted together; and after the shanks areunited said sleeve can be drawn endwise over the connector to theposition indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 to form an insulating covering forthe joint and protect the metal parts thereof from dust. weather, etc.The casing may be either flexible or rigid. and may be of any suitable,preferably non-metallic, material such as fiber or rubber.

The connector members are preferably made of drawn copper and hollowthroughout. For small connectors not more than outside diameter ofsocket portions, I prefer to use copper shells made in general by themethod set forth in Patent 1,114,281; but in order to secure a flatshank portion the width of which will be no greater than the diameter ofthe tubular portion the' shells are drawnor redrawn for a portion oftheir length so that the tubular portion 1* for the shank shall be ofless diameter than the socket portion 1 as indicated in Fig. 4. Thenwhen such smaller tubular end is fiattened. it Will produce the flatshank portion 1 substantially the same in width as the diameter of thesocket portion. which is left round.

Further, in order that the socket portions of both halves of theconnector shall be in 1 line and parallel when the members are .to thesocket as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5.

so that the line of contact between the two of opposite members whenbolted together shall be on the center line of the socket portions. Ifthe flattened shanks were disposed centrally or axially of the (socketportions when the shanks were connected the socket portions would be outof line a distance corresponding to the thickness of a shank portion,and such non-aline- 1 ment would prevent or interfere with thepositioning of the casing 3 thereover, which casing should fit snugly onthe tubular socket portions.

For connectors for conductors larger than 1% in diameter I could useordinary copper tubing, but redraw or shape it so that the shankportions of the members would be equal in width to the tubular portionsthereof as above described.

My connectors are neat in appearance; efl'icient, and inexpensive; andthe method. of manufacture is more economical, and the completed jointless clumsy in appearance than other connectors.

I claim- 1. The herein described process of making connector membersconsisting in drawing a tubular metal shell to form the socket portionof the connector; then redrawing the said shell to produce an elongationof part 'of the shell of less diameter than the other ter of theunreduced part of the shell and.

extending parallel with the axial line of the unreduced part.

2. The herein described process of making connector members,consistingin drawing a tubular metal shell to form the socket portion ofthe connector; then redrawing the said shell to produce an elongation ofpartof the shell of less diameter than the other part thereof, andeccentric to said other part; then flatting said elongation to form ashank of approximately the same width as the diameter of the unreducedpart of the shell and extending parallel with but to one side of theaxial line of the unreduced part.

3. A connector made from a drawn metal shell having an open endedtubular portion and a flattened reduced tubular portion; said open endedtubular portion forming the socket of the connector and said reducedflattened tubular portion forming the shank of the connector; saidflattened shank cor responding in width to the diameter of the socketportion, and perforated, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I affix my signature.

THOMAS DALTON SMITH.

